THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 325 1989 Aug 05 10.15UT. Telecom Gold 72:MAG60138 JANET:GMH at UK.AC.RO-GREENWICH.STARLINK Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16, Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:(0256)471074.Int:+44256471074 Telex:265871(MONREF G) Quote"72:MAG60138 ATT G.HURST"in FIRST line. ------------------------------------------------------------------- MOONS OF NEPTUNE The Voyager team report discovery of three further satellites of Neptune, 1989 N 2, 1989 N 3 and 1989 N 4. The orbits are all prograde with periods 0.56, 0.34 and 0.43d respectively. They move at mean radial distances of 73 000, 52 000, 62 000 km from the planet's centre. 1989 N 2 is about 1.5 mag fainter than 1989 N 1 and that of 1989 N 3 and 1989 N 4 about 2.5-3.0 fainter than 1989 N 1. IAUC 4824 1989 OB Carolyn Shoemaker reports discovery of a fast-moving asteroid on July 29 at mag 16.5. Elements: T =1989 Sept.27.63ET Peri= 71.33 e =0.6002 Node=290.01 (1950) q =1.2122 AU Incl= 8.39 a =3.0320 AU n=0.18669 P = 5.28 years IAUC 4823 An ephemeris can be supplied on request (object currently mag 15). SUPERNOVA 1989N IN NGC 3646 C.Mikolajczak reports a possible SN recorded on June 30.2UT at mag 14-15 and located: RA 11h19m03.36s DEC +20 25'57.3"(1950) at the southern tip of NGC 3646. Does anyone have photos of this galaxy? Q1989/56 N.James (MAG90713) reports that SAOC 034992 located at: RA 22h55m00s DEC +53 07'27"(1950) was recorded normally at mag 9 on a nova patrol exposure of Aug 2 at 23.51UT. However it was absent from a second shot starting 23.55UT. It is probable this is due to a film defect (although this is not obvious) but does anyone have information about this star or any previous photos showing variation? P CYGNI A request has been received from Antoine Labeyrie of Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur, interferometry for visual estimates of P Cygni Aug 1-17 as he is measuring the star's shell. Please e-mail results to Jean-Claude Merlin on MAG 100851 and send CC to MAG60138. Guy M Hurst